MacDaddy Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 Okay, I know what makes one great for me will be different to you, but for example we have a couple [size=1](ahem!)[/size] of 12 bars in our set - [url="http://www.junkyarddogslondon.co.uk/home.html"]http://www.junkyarddogslondon.co.uk/home.html[/url] thank you very much - but I do particularly enjoy playing Keep Your Hands to Yourself. Not sure why this should be, as every reason I love playing it can be found in other 12 bars Quote
Cat Burrito Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 Nothing wrong with a bit of 12 bar. I think if bands like music that features 12 bar there shouldn't be any stigma in playing it too. I think it only comes unstuck when you have bands playing it because they feel they have to or they don't want to. Quote
ZMech Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 I'm not sure what makes them great, but I do love listening to John Lee Hooker, or BB King. Although saying that, after a while I do always feel the need for a change. When my teacher sat and explained the reasoning behind the 12-bar blues and it's structure it did help me make sense of it and why they can be awesome. So to summarise what he told me, they evolved from the work songs in the cotton fields, where they would be question and answer format, a spirit you can definitely hear in B.B's playing. Bars 5 and 6 up on the IV are then a bit more wailing, to return back down to the root, and then the V IV turnaround is often then the more joyous and hopeful ending segment of the song. Since learning about that, I think you can hear the difference when the player is fulfilling that, be it on purpose or instinctively. Quote
thisnameistaken Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 [quote name='Earbrass' timestamp='1329137921' post='1537582'] Knowing when to stop.[/quote] Such a rare skill. Quote
Fuzzbass2000 Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 +1 on the knowing when to stop... it's all about what you leave out! Quote
spike Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 [quote name='Earbrass' timestamp='1329137921' post='1537582'] Knowing when to stop. [/quote] Especially the guitar solo Quote
skankdelvar Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 (edited) * A drummer who plays the groove through the changes, rather than playing a full-on 4 beat fill every four bars * A singer who knows what the words mean and delivers a performance rather than a recitation of the lyrics * A guitarist who plays a solo for the song's benefit rather than his own. And uses fragmented chords rather than full barres. * A harp player who knows more than one position * A bass player who's happy to play roots, doesn't put a climb into every change and a descent into every turnaround * A band that treats each number as a song in its own right, supports the lyrical meaning, shuns virtuosity and aims for danceability. * Dead stops. Especially the tricky ones you can't just count, but where you have to be cued by the singer. Edited February 13, 2012 by skankdelvar Quote
RhysP Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 [quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1329139885' post='1537639'] * A guitarist who plays a solo for the song's benefit rather than his own. [/quote] What is this mystical creature of which you speak? Quote
spinynorman Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 [quote name='ZMech' timestamp='1329136390' post='1537541'] I'm not sure what makes them great, but I do love listening to John Lee Hooker, or BB King. Although saying that, after a while I do always feel the need for a change. When my teacher sat and explained the reasoning behind the 12-bar blues and it's structure it did help me make sense of it and why they can be awesome. So to summarise what he told me, they evolved from the work songs in the cotton fields, where they would be question and answer format, a spirit you can definitely hear in B.B's playing. Bars 5 and 6 up on the IV are then a bit more wailing, to return back down to the root, and then the V IV turnaround is often then the more joyous and hopeful ending segment of the song. Since learning about that, I think you can hear the difference when the player is fulfilling that, be it on purpose or instinctively. [/quote] You might be interested in "Escaping The Delta" by Elijah Wald, which suggests the working in the cotton fields idea was largely invented by white folklorists. Music developed out of getting pissed and having a party didn't have the intellectual romance they were looking for, though it's more like something I can relate to. I found the book quite heavy going though. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Escaping-Delta-Robert-Johnson-Invention/dp/0060524278 Quote
xilddx Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1329138781' post='1537615'] 48 beats. [/quote] And keeping the song length at that Quote
discreet Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 [quote name='silddx' timestamp='1329150107' post='1537881'] And keeping the song length at that [/quote] Still too long, if you ask me. Quote
Dr.Dave Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 [i]Putting in enough hard work to sound lazy.[/i] Quote
musophilr Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 What skankdelvar said plus when the guitarist can get away from the minor pentatonic rooted on the root of the I chord (often other soloists do but the guitarists don't). I'm quite happy for bass players to arpeggiate the chords though - sometimes (as a contrast to a chorus full of roots). Quote
Jazzneck Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 [quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1329139885' post='1537639'] * A drummer who plays the groove through the changes, rather than playing a full-on 4 beat fill every four bars * A singer who knows what the words mean and delivers a performance rather than a recitation of the lyrics * A guitarist who plays a solo for the song's benefit rather than his own. And uses fragmented chords rather than full barres. * A harp player who knows more than one position * A bass player who's happy to play roots, doesn't put a climb into every change and a descent into every turnaround * A band that treats each number as a song in its own right, supports the lyrical meaning, shuns virtuosity and aims for danceability. * Dead stops. Especially the tricky ones you can't just count, but where you have to be cued by the singer. [/quote] Skank, this says it all. Thank You, Quote
Blademan_98 Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 I just love playing the blues. Just doing a walking bass line that ties the lot together and lets the song breathe. Accenting roots and leaving the fancy stuff to the guitarist / singer. It's great for jams if you don't know any of the songs! Quote
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